Circus Time! Monday, August 26th Triton Elementary Students were able to walk over to the football field area and watch as the Kelly Miller Circus prepared for their show. Students were able to see a few animals enjoying the morning sun, hear details about the circus, and watch a large elephant raise the poles for the big top! Our morning circus guide told us that the circus got its name from Latin long ago and it means circle or ring. She told us that there will be many attractions at the circus from performers, a band, food, and lots of animals. In fact, to name a few: there are two camels, 6 tigers from one year to 8 years old, several elephants that are around 30 years old, but they can live in a circus for 76 or more years, and 96 people that make the circus happen. ENJOY THE SHOW!

Reading Review Week:

Our class took time this week to review five our comprehension skills this week. (Main Idea/There, Fact and Opinion, Cause and Effect, Generalization, and Author's Purpose) Students selected a story from our selection story list to design a poster that would represent examples of these skills and then will present their posters to the class. Here are some pictures to show how great teams worked together to create these great displays!

Student Videos

Two pairs of students took some extra time to learn how to create videos. They wanted to put together memories about their year in third grade, and they did an incredible job! I am sure you will see their talent and creativity in their work. Click on the links below to enjoy the show!http://animoto.com/play/OXSkM22GcaCChOHetWaaBg Jolie and Laurenhttp://animoto.com/play/ifTIVMDAPM5IBkmxgaVxxw Hanna and SadieSplash into Summer photos are at the bottom of the home page you are on! Have a great summer!

Book It Summer Reading Program

School ends soon, but please do not forget to keep reading in your daily habits. I have come across another opportunity to add reading into your summer events. The program kicks on June 21st. I cannot be sure what it will actually offer, but I do know that any time you keep reading activiites in place with your kids, that you are adding many benefits to their future! The link I added below shares an interesting fact about how much children can lose if reading is not a part of your summer routine. It also shares to log in to www. bookitsummer.com for this summer reading event! READ! READ! READ!

Hoosier Family of Readers

Welcome to our Summer Literacy Initiative: A Message from Glenda Ritz, Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Dear Parents and Community Supporters,

Welcome to our first-ever Hoosier Family of Readers summer reading opportunity! I strongly believe that a reader is not simply someone who can read; a reader is someone who does read. Therefore, I am very pleased to invite you, your children, and your community to join our statewide efforts to develop a culture of readers in Indiana. Hoosier Family of Readers establishes a unique, fun collaboration between our families, our schools, and many community partners. The goal for the initiative is for adults and children to identify their Hoosier Family of Readers and read each day throughout the summer. A reading family can be any combination of caring adults and children. IDOE is partnering with over 175 organizations including libraries, Boys & Girls Clubs, scout troops, schools, faith-based organizations, United Way and other non-profits state wide. Organizations are being empowered to include reading within their summer programs. Our USDA Summer Food Service Program sites will feature an “Eat & Read” opportunity in many locations.We are encouraging all of our “reading families” to read anything that interests them –including graphic novels, non-fiction books, magazines, and newspapers – whether online or in print. We suggest that they:*Read with someone*Read to someone*Share with someone what he/she has read*Listen to someone read*Help others read*Read independently We have some special partners who will be making appearances on our website, in posters and at media events throughout the summer. These include award-winning Young Adult novelist John Green, Indiana Fever player Briann January, and Clifford the Big Red Dog! We are also fortunate to partner with myON Books, a complete digital library with English and Spanish texts that is being made available to all participants. Follow our links to learn more, and let us know what you are reading this summer!Glenda RitzTo view the entire notification please click on this link:http://www.doe.in.gov/improvement/hoosier-family-readers

Splash into Summer Fun Day!

Our day went wonderfully. We are so thankful for all the wonderful help from families to donate supplies and volunteer their time to make this event a day that our kids will never forget! Enjoy a wonderful summer vacation!

Lokie shares with our class....

Lokie had a surprising addition at her house a little over a month ago! She kept us informed with updates about some new kittens that had arrived in her barn. Her mom was able to bring them in to let Lokie tell about these cute little kitties. One girl in the group of three is named Pansy and the boys are named Smudge and Shadow. She hopes that they boy kittens find a nice home and offered the class the opportunity to adopt for free.

Learning About Dairy Foods...

Students sort food items out to decide which items are dairy products and which ones are not. We also created a dragon to add to our journals that show all of the food groups that are important to helping us grow healthy and strong. We discovered that milk helps us to have strong bones and teeth! GOT MILK?

Dr. Leeper Visits Third grade

On Wednesday, September 12th, Dr. Ward Leeper from the Bourbon Veterinary Hospital came to share what it is like to take care of the health of dairy cattle. He showed us many interesting tools that are required to keep animals healthy and happy. Dr. Leeper also explained how learning to read well and understanding math are valuable learning skills for those interested in becoming a veterinarian. You need to learn about the animals and medical treatments through reading, and you must be able to figure how much medicine an animal needs with math. Mistakes in his work can lead to an animal being well or losing its life. THANKS DR. LEEPER!

Nurse Geri Newman shares her experience...

Nurse Geri Newman also came to our classroom on Thursday, September 13th. She shared how few dairy farms remain in the Marshall Country and what dairy farmers need to do with their cows to keep their place in the community. She also told us about her experiences growing up on a dairy farm, working on dairy farms, and her role with dairy farming in 4-H. Geri's family has been one of the larger dairy farms in our county for many generations. She supports the 4-H program and encourages families to take part if they are able. She has seen children develop many lifelong skills through their participation in 4-H and dairy judging programs! THANKS NURSE NEWMAN!

A Visit From AMY JONES Purdue University Marshall Country Extension Agent

Students enjoyed a visit from Amy Jones on Monday, September 17th. She read a story about a cow named Buttercup that went through many adventures on her way to the state fair. Amy also helped us to understand how a dairy farm works within the environment, and the economy of the community it is a part of. She was able to show us a great video clip of her own family farm that is completely robotic. Members of our class played a game sorting food with dairy products and practiced milking a cow with a special bucket from Amy's farm. Amy offers an invitation to all third graders that might be interested in joining the 4-H program as well. Thanks Amy!

Students having fun and learning...

Here are a few fun moments with Amy Jones helping students learn how cows are milked and our class making their own butter. We found out that by shaking whipping cream with a touch of salt we could make butter. We have talked about curds and whey, so watching the milk solidify and separate from the liquids was a great way to see that happen in real life! Students were able to enjoy eating their own butter on crackers and then took some home to their families. SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE!

Fair Oaks Dairy

After arriving on the farm and making a quick trip through "Diva Hall" (see pictures below) We loaded up on a comfortable tour bus to travel to one of 10 Fair Oaks Farms. There are about 3,000 cows on each farm, and about 2,900 being milked each day! We were able to see all the different food items used in TMR-Total Mixed Ration, where the waste products are recycled into electricity to run the farm, free-stall barns full of happy munching cows, huts full of cute baby calves, and then we went to the milking parlor. Students watched as 72 cows at a time get on and off the DAIRY-GO-ROUND to be milked. We were then able to feel the tube the milk travels in on its way from the cow to the cooling tanks it goes from 101.5*F to 36*F in about five minutes! Students could compare each tube as it carried milk from the cow to the coolers, and then from the coolers to the storeage tanks! We rode the bus back just in time to catch a new mother cow about to give birth. Being a new cow she was having trouble delivering. We were able to see how a calf if pulled from it's mother just like Dr. Leeper told us sometimes happens! It was a BOY! Everyone was happy to go for lunch after the exciting morning and the fresh Fair Oaks milk was ice cold and delicious! Students enjoyed a little time on the large bouncing pillow before we went to see the 3-D/4-D movie. What a surprise! The video was all about dairy, but it included a few twists such as 3-D glasses where many items appeared to be flying out at us. We were also shook, blasted with air and even squirted with milk and sneezed on my a cow. It was really just air and water being sprayed, but it sure gave us all a startling experience! Everyone had a brief bit of time to wrap up things before leaving for home. Some families went to the cheese factory to watch cheese being made, others ate ice cream or cheese. The weather was perfect and it looked like we had a whole lot of happy third graders!

VIP DAY-Friday, October 5, 2012

Wow! It has been quite a day for all of us here at Triton Elementary. We were able to see so many happy faces in the building today that set up an exciting start to the weekend. It truly was wonderful to meet so many people, and I personally would have enjoyed talking to each one of the visitiors in our room so much more than I was able. It was such a treat for our third graders to have such kind families come to our school and classroom to spend time with us. The support theses kids get from those around them means so very much, and it certainly adds to the chances of our kids having a lifetime of success. I hope you enjoyed our day together and I thank you for letting me be a part in the lives of your kids! Remember to always DREAM...

Earth Day and Family Fun...

As the weather gets warmer getting outside is something we all look forward to. Click on the link below to access a site that is full of ideas for outside family fun. Summer is coming and this site also lets you locate places that everyone can have fun. You can find locations by distance, desired activities, and dates. Enjoy looking around this site! http://www.naturerocks.org/why-nature-rocks.aspxThird grade students will also be given a tree from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. These trees are a way to encourage taking care of the earth and helping the environment by planting trees. The seedling trees that third grade students will receive this year are the bald cypress which will be shipped for the DNR through the Jasper-Pulaski State Nursery sometime before Arbor Day. If you are unable to plant a seedling or for some reason do not want your child to bring one home, please let me know as soon as possible.BALDCYPRESS:The bald cypress is a native Indiana tree found in the bottomlands and swamps of southern Indiana. It typically grows on sites ranging from shallow swamps to rich upland soil. Although it is native to southern Indiana, it is winter hardy for northern Indiana. The bald cypress can reach 130 feet tall with a trunk 3 to 5 feet in diameter. There are trees more than 2,000 years old which have gotten 150 feet tall and 12 feet in diameter. These trees are widely grown for their rot resistant wood, shade and ornamental planting, and sometimes windbreaks. The wood is used in warehouses, docks, and bridges. The bald cypress provides cover for many species of wildlife along with food for squirrels and wood ducks. The best planting site for these trees are near shallow swamps, rich upland soil, wet riverbanks, and sometimes submerged floodplain lakes. Below are some images of mature bald cypress trees. It is very kind of the DNR to provide these trees to us to help encourage students to take care of their environment. Enjoy planting a tree this spring!Planting Directions: Successful establishment of cypress seedlings depends on the selection of an appropriate site. Careless or incorrect planting can result in the failure of the project. The most important consideration is avoiding the exposure of newly planted cypress seedlings to drought. Seedlings should be planted when the soil is moist or shallowly flooded and likely to remain so for several months. Planting cypress in water is fine provided that the seedlings are not completely submerged.

Learning about our heritage-Student Projects

In addition to the family tree and recipe projects that our students participated in, we also had some special extended projects to go along with this theme. Take a look at some of these amazing displays of students in action!

A map of Germany by Jolie

Jolie found out that part of her family once lived in Germany. She designed a map showing some of the important places in this country, and told the class about her family and country.

A map of Italy and Story by Lauren

Lauren learned that she had family that came to America from Italy. She created her map with symbols like mountains, cities, and pictures. She also wrote a story about her family and Italy.

Lauren's Family Poster

Sadie's Scrapbook

Sadie decided to learn about the Gadson side of her family tree. She learned that they had once lived in England along with the history on that family name .

Take a look at our class cookbookLearning about Cultures and Family

The weekly selection stories that we have been reading in our reading book in unit 5 have been all about families and their cultures/heritage. Unit 5.4 has a story called "Jalapeño Bagels" where a boy has a school assignment to bring something in that shows his family culture. Our students were given Family Tree pages, so that they could go home and ask about their families. Students were to complete one family tree (both sides if they wish) with the help of someone at home. Spelling names, places, and getting dates were helpful to students that were trying to learn about their family. Our selection story also featured a special recipe that the boy (Pablo) felt meant something to his family. I also asked students to find a special recipe used in their family to share with our class. Students have contributed to making a cookbook full of special recipes. Click on the link below to view our cookbook. Thank you for your help in sharing your family favorites with us!

Third Grade Goes to Ag Day

Students in third grade were invited to the high school on Wednesday, February 20th for Ag Day. Mrs. April Leeper arranged several stations for the our students to stop at and learn more about animals and farm communities. High schools ag members were able to share their knowledge with our elementary kids. Here are a few pictures to let families have a virtual visit.Click on this link to see a fun class video...http://animoto.com/play/1grNXFlOqiuA15h4uhL7Wg

Flashlight Friday

Students Hard at Work in the Triton Tech Spot

Our class has been working on doing computer research to go along with a recent reading selection story called: "Volcanoes: Nature's Fireworks." Three main volcanoes have been reviewed closely by our students. These are: Stratovolcanoes, Cinder Cone Volcanoes, and Shield Volcanoes Students have been taking trips to the tech spot to learn the basics of putting information that they have read and learned about into the form of PowerPoint. They will then have the opportunity to be the expert scientist and share what they have learned with their classmates.

Please go to the "Student Project" tab found in the "MORE" dropdown at the top of this webpage to view these projects. I will add more links to view these projects as students present them.

New things can be tricky, so I thought I would try out a link to a different blog since some students were having some trouble with the Weebly Blog Link. I am hoping this one will be easier to use for everyone once everyone gets an account. I posted a question about our upcoming animal reports on it as a test! Happy blogging!How to Sign Up Students:

Visit www.edmodo.com and select the “I’m a Student” button.

Fill out the registration form with the group code, a unique username and password. An email address is not required for student signup.

Select the “Sign up” button to complete the signup process. The student will then see the group you created on the left sidebar.

http://www.edmodo.comOur group code is: 8wrucaAfter you use your Sumdog username and password to set up the account you will easily be able to comment!

SCIENCE IN ACTION...

Our class has been learning about the scientific process as we rotate between social studies and health material during our afternoon times. Vocabulary that we are working on include:

investigationpredicthypothesisobserve infer variable experiment

A couple of weeks ago we built paper airplanes as we introduced new science vocabulary and investigated how these airplanes would fly. Students had to make a hypothesis as to what made these planes fly differently, predict if they made changes to the airplanes would that support the hypothesis they came up with about how the plane flies, and then they had to observe the outcome. They could hopefully infer what changed the outcomes of flight. For example, "the lighter the plane the further it flew." or "wings on a plane keep it flying in a straight path." Another way to look at that is what variable in the paper airplane will make a different result when it is tossed into flight.

This was our introduction to these concepts. Last week we went back to these ideas and started a scientific journal. Today we started the hands-on review of all this again by building balloon cars. Wheels are in the process of drying tonight in hopes of testing our the cars tomorrow. We hope you enjoy seeing some of our pictures. More will be added as we continue our investigation this week! The download file below shows two of our students (Ashton and Lokie) featured in the BOURBON NEWS-MIRROR on October 25th!

Flashlight Friday for Unit 4

Our students enjoyed celebrating the end of Unit 4 in reading (along with Acuity Testing) today with flashlight Friday. We hope you enjoy seeing what we did!

Review Week Activities for Unit 4

Our class has spent the majority of this week's reading time with reading short stories, answering questions, and writing written responses to short stories. These activities should help students feel more at ease with the upcoming ISTEP and IREAD testing events we will be doing. We tried to look at how to prove answers and understand how to score samples of writing. We also spent time with partners to demonstrate that we have learned the reading comprehension strategies that were taught during unit 4. Students created posters on a story that they liked from this past unit, and then presented them to the class. The strategies that they needed to demonstrate understanding in were: Main Idea/Theme, Author's Purpose, Fact and Opinion, Generalization, and Plot. Student posters were wonderful!